Drafting roll clearer and buffer



Oct. 6, 1970 R. K. WHETEHEAD, sR.. EFAL 1,

" DRAF'I'ING ROLL CLEARER AND BUFFER Filed Oct. 23, 1968 INVENTORSRICHARD K. WHITEHEAD, SR. OTIS B. AL'STON RICHARD K. WHITEHEAD, JR.HARRY C. WHITEHEAD ALVIN C. WHITEHEAD United States Patent 3,531,832DRAFTING ROLL CLEARER AND BUFFER Richard K. Whitehead, Sr., 1216Zonolite Road NE., Atlanta, Ga. 30306; Otis B. Alston, 5423 Hunter Road,Columbus, Ga. 31907; and Richard K. Whitehead, Jr., Harry C. Whitehead,and Alvin C. Whitehead, all of 1216 Zonolite Road NE., Atlanta, Ga.

Filed Oct. 23, 1968, Ser. No. 769,915 Int. Cl. D01h /62 US. Cl. 19-265Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention In theprocessing of textile materials, the textile or textile fibers arepassed between pairs of rolls serving to draw out, attenuate or othewiseaffect the relationship between the processed fibers. In the fabricationof cotton or the like yarns, the rolls of the drawing, roving, twistingand spinning frames have a propensity for the collection of fly lint andthe like material.

A further problem associated with drafting roll assem blies stems fromthe fact that the lower roll is ordinarily constructed of steel andpossesses a relatively hard, fluted surface whereas the top roll isprovided with a cover of synthetic rubber or like resilient materialwhich is relatively soft as compared to the surface of the bottom roll.As a consequence, the relatively soft surface of the top roll tends tobecome glazed by virtue of its continual contact slippage of fibers withthe material being drawn, with the result that the drawing action isadversely affected. Consequently, the top rolls are periodically removedand machine ground or buffed to deglaze them and, as can be appreciated,this procedure represents considerable and repeated expense in theoperation of the textile machinery.

For the purpose of wiping off or removing the material accumulating onthe surface of the top roll, not only stationary clearers but alsospecially constructed movable clearers have been employed. Furthermore,such movable clearing devices have utilized members which oscillate withand against the top roll, as exemplified by the constructions disclosedin U.S. Pats. 2,858,575 and 3,196,476.

Unfortunately, the roll clearing devices of the prior art haveconventionally employed felt rolls, pads or flexible tubes engagedagainst the relatively soft surface of the top roll and although thesedevices have been partially successful in effecting clearing action,they require periodic manual cleaning, and they are not beneficial asregards the glazing of the top roll.

Brief summary of the invention According to the present invention, notonly is lint effectively removed from the relatively soft surface of thetop roll, but also the propensity toward glazing of this surface byvirtue of its contact with the material being drawn and the relativelyhard and smooth surface of the lower roll is greatly attenuated with theresult that the top rolls require manual deglazing only after veryextended periods of time.

The method involved according to the present invention forsimultaneously removing lint from and deglazing the relatively softsurface of the top roll comprises engaging the edge of a blade memberagainst the surface of the top roll while allowing the blade edge tooscillate in a wiping fashion with respect to the surface of the toproll and simultaneously moving the blade into and out of contact withthe top roll surface in a repetitive, forceful fashion. The combinationof these two actions not only efiects a superior lint removing functionbut also serves automatically to deglaze the surface of the top roll.

Brief description of the drawing figures FIG. 1 is a perspective viewshowing an embodiment of the invention associated with a conventionaldrawing roll assembly;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of another illustrative embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating theassembly shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken through a portion of a furtherembodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, atop roll is indicated therein generally by the reference character 10and a bottom or lower roll is indicated by the reference character 12.As is conventional, the lower roll 12 is driven and comprises arelatively hard steel shaft having a fluted surface 14- whereas the toproll 10 comprises a metallic core 16 having a covering 18 of relativelysoft material such as synthetic rubber or the like. As is alsoconventional, means (not shown) is provided continuously urging the toproll 10 into contact with the bottom roll 12 and the bottom roll, beingdriven, causes rotation of both rolls as indicated by the arrows inFIGS. 1 and 3. The roving 20 is passed between the rolls 10 and 12 andissues therefrom as indicated by the reference character 22 for twistingor like action.

In any event, the relatively soft surface 24 of the top roll assembly 10is propense to picking up lint and, as has been discussed hereinabove,is also subject to becoming glazed by virtue of its contact continuouslywith the material being drawn. In the illustrative embodiment of theinvention shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the clearer assembly is effective toimpart both an improved lint removing function and to effect deglazingof the relatively soft surface 24 of the top roll 10. The structureinvolved includes an elongate resilient arm member 26 of spring steel orplastic provided with a clamp device 28 at one end which grips a shaft30 rotatably received in the free end portion 32 of a bracket 34 havinga mounting portion 36 which is removably clamped to a suitable bar orother member 38 which forms the supporting base for the entireassemblage. As shown, the clamp 28 may simply take the form of a bodysplit as indicated by the reference character 40 and provided with aclamping screw 42 having a handle 44 whereby the shaft 30- may besecurely clamped.

The opposite end of the arm 26 is provided with an enlarged head portion46 of zinc or steel or other high mass material provided with atransverse slot or groove 48 within which one marginal edge 50 of arectangular blade assembly 52 is rigidly held. The blade assemblyprojects from the head 46 to present a free marginal edge portion 54thereof terminating in the side edge 56 which engages the surface 24 ofthe top roll 10 substantially with a line contact. The axis of the shaft30 is parallel to the axis of the top roll 10 and the blade 52 engagesthe surface 24 along a line parallel to the axis of the top roll 10.However, it has been found that the most advantageous disposition of theblade 52 is accomplished when the free marginal edge portion 54 thereof,when relaxed, is contained within a plane substantially parallel to theplane 58 which, as indicated in FIG. 3 passes through the axis of thetop roll and the point of tangency of a line AA passing through the axisof the shaft 30 and tangent to the surface 24 of the top roll 10. Theplane B-B containing the edge 54 is offset in a direction advanced withrespect to the rotation of the roll with respect to the plane 5-8 asindicated in FIG. 3. The included angle should advantageously be in theorder from to The rotation of the top roll 10 acting against the blade52 causes the free marginal edge portion 54 of the latter to flex inoscillatory fashion back and forth in a wiping action with respect tothe surface 24 of the top roll 10 and this flexing action, in turn,causes the arm 26 to oscillate in such fashion as to cause the blade tohammer against the surface 24 of the top roll. The enlarged head portion46 is provided with a C-shaped weighting portion which typically may bein the order of 1 /2 ounces and which serves, together with the weightof the arm 26 and head 46 to urge the edge 56 of the blade 52 intoengagement with substantially line contact against the surface 24 of thetop roll 10 and normally subjects the blade to compressive force.Advantageously, construction of the assembly is such as to cause thehammering action to take place at a rate of 400 to 1600 cycles perminute, the optimum rate being about 1000 cycles per minute.

The blade advantageously may be made of urethane, neoprene or othersimilar energy storing material having a durometer hardness in the orderof 85. A fine abrasive, such as aluminum oxide or silicon dioxide orsimilar grit (180-300 grit range), may be impregnated into the contacttip of the blade.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the arm 62 is directly connected tothe supporting shaft 64 by means of an enlarged journal portion 66, thearm 62 being free to oscillate about the shaft 64 and being provided, asbefore, with an enlarged head mounting the blade as sembly.

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. In this case,the arm 68 is curved around and fixedly attached or integrally formedwith a rectangular mounting bracket portion 70. In this case, thecompression of the blade 72 is effected by preloading the resilient arm68 and, for this purpose, the mounting bar 74 upon which the mountingportion is engaged is fixed in such position as to preload the resilientarm 68 and cause the free edge portion 72 of the blade normally toreside under compressive force.

In any event, the combined blade flexing and blade hammering actions areeffective. Not only does this simultaneously produce the effect of lintremoval and the effect of deglazing the surface 24 of the top roll 10,but it also has been observed that the lint removal action is muchimproved as compared with conventional top roll clearers. It is believedthat the hammering action of the blade against the surface 24 of the toproll 10 actually serves to roll up or chop up lint or fibrous materialwhich may be picked up by the surface 24 of the top roll which wouldaccount for the superior lint removal action observed.

For spinning using modern drafting systems, we have found the bladematerial to properly resist abrasive wear, compress properly and reactat the required frequency may be polyurethane, extruded, natural, ofdurometer with a thickness of .062 to .070 inch in the compressive areawith a free length of approximately .250-.300 inch, and they incorporatean abrasive in the wear edge of 300 grit particles of zinc oxide to dothe automatic roll clearing and bufling satisfactorily but notexcessively wear the rolls; and such a blade may be mounted in a headmade of zinc or steel or similar high mass material having a mass offrom 1 oz. to 1 /2 oz. which may be mounted on a pivot arm ofapproximately 4 inches length and made of spring steel or plastic, andthe bracket carrying the pivot arm may conveniently be mounted on therear neb arm or overarm rod.

Equipment utilizing these exemplary weights and dimensions functions asdesired so that as the blade is compressed between the roll contactpoint and the support point as the roll turns toward the blade, theblade is deflected some 5-10 degrees against the inertial resistance ofthe head and the springly head supporting arm so that the blade storesenergy as it is compressed and deflected until the blade frictionagainst the roll allows it to disengage from the roll a distance ofbetween .030 inch and .075 inch at a rate of 4004600 cycles per minute.This self-induced vibration occurs when the compression load reaches apoint where the friction of the blade against the roll has compressedthe urethane to the point that the mass is raised from the roll and thefriction suddenly ceases, the head comes back down and the blade hitsthe roll and beats or chops off any adhering lint or fly, and rolls itinto a ball and knocks it off the roll into the air where the customarysuction system picks it up as the action of our device continues toclean lint and fly from the front top roll and disperse it into the airnear the pneumatic suction intake, and at the same time the roll isslowly buffed automatically, preventing the glaze from continuallyincreasing and varying the quality and twist and draft in the yarn inprocess.

The present invention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out theobjects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as othersinherent therein. While the presently illustrative embodiments of theinvention are given for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes inthe details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made whichwill readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and whichare encompassed within the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claims.

We claim:

1. In a drafting roll assembly including a bottom roll and a top rolladapted to engage a roving therebetween, the top roll having a surfacewhich is relatively soft as compared to the bottom roll and which tendsto pick up lint from the roving and also to become glazed, theimprovement comprising a clearer assembly for removing lint from thesurface of said top roll and for deglazing such surface,

said clearer assembly including an elongate arm provided with mountingmeans at one end for oscillation of said arm about an axis generallyparallel to but remote from the axis of said top roll,

a resilient blade member carried by the opposite end of said arm, saidblade member having a free marginal edge portion which, when relaxed, isdisposed in a plane substantially normal to a line tangent to saidsurface of the top roll passing through said axis of oscillation of saidarm and is advanced, with respect to a parallel plane containing theaxis of said top roll, in the opposite direction of rotation of said toproll,

and means urging said blade into substantially a line contact againstsaid relatively soft surface of said top roll to compress said freemarginal edge portion of the blade, whereby rotation of said top rollcauses oscillation both of said free marginal edge portion of the bladeand of said arm to effect hammering and wiping of the blade upon therelatively soft surface of said top roll simultaneously to remove lintfrom and deglaze said top roll.

2. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 1 wherein saidmounting means comprises a clamp, a shaft engaged by said clamp, and abracket rotatably receiving said shaft.

3. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 2 wherein said meansurging said blade against the top roll comprises a weight positionedover said blade.

4. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 1 wherein saidmounting means comprises a bracket fixed to said one end of the arm.

5. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 4 wherein said meansfor urging said blade against the top roll comprises a mounting bar forsaid bracket.

6. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 1 wherein said armis provided with an enlarged head at said opposite end thereof, saidhead being slotted to receive an edge portion of said blade, and saidmeans for urging said blade against the top roll comprising a weight onsaid head.

7. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 1 wherein said bladecomprises low energy storing material.

8. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 7 wherein said bladeincludes abrasive material impregnated therein.

9. The method of simultaneously removing lint from and deglazing therelatively soft surface of a top roll which bears against the hardsurface of a bottom roll, which comprises the steps of:

urging the edge of a resilient blade member into engagement with therelatively soft surface of the top roll while rotating the top roll tooscillate the blade in wiping fashion with respect to the top roll,

and simultaneously moving the blade into and out of engagement with thetop roll in a repetitive, forceful fashion.

5 10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said blade is moved intoand out of contact with the top roll at a rate of 4001600 cycles perminute 10 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,191,366 2/1940Buccicone 15256.5l

FOREIGN PATENTS 15 664,665 9/1933 Germany.

DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner US, Cl, X3. 5- 5651

